Grand River Raceway’s 28th annual Industry Day event on August 6 is a celebration of the people and horses of the harness racing industry. Many of these people tend to acquire a lot of horse things.

Loads of art, clothing, clocks, books, mugs, trophies, vases, blankets, figurines, and a whole range of collectibles — all adorned in horses — are at this very moment creating domestic friction in households across the province.

For those looking to (or being prompted to) thin out their collections, the Industry Day Garage Sale will connect donors with buyers on one of the best afternoons in Canadian harness racing. All sales will benefit the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame, Standardbred Showcase and Racing Under Saddle Ontario.

Grand River Raceway will manage the collection of items. Volunteers from the four organizations will staff the event, equally sharing 100 per cent of all sales.

The Industry Day Garage Sale will run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Paddock Annex. Also included in the sale is a silent auction featuring three stunning prints on canvas, signed by photographer Dave Landry. The award-winning shooter will be inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame on August 8 and will be part of a lineup of guest commentators on the Industry Day broadcast.

Items will be accepted until August 5. To donate items, call (519) 846-5455 ext. 238 or email [email protected].

Industry Day features 11 races including the $220,000 (est) Battle Of Waterloo, $140,000 (est) Battle Of The Belles and an Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots event for three-year-old pacing fillies.

A $5 all-access pass for the Kids’ Zone includes pony rides, petting zoo, bouncy castles and facepainting. Prize draws include a $500 credit for fractional racehorse ownership with TheStable.ca and a Beautiful Summer prize pack of beauty products valued at $1,500.

Former Battle Of Waterloo champ Button Up will greet fans from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and lead the post parade for this year’s edition of the race. The halftime show will include the annual Drivers’ Edition of the Bouncy Pony Stakes, where James MacDonald will defend his title as “the best Bouncy Pony Stakes driver of all time.”

Festivities and the broadcast begin at 12 p.m. Post time for the first race is 12:30 p.m.

(Grand River Raceway)